What I liked
I knew I was in for a fun, silly idea the moment the show started with a video clip from the “real” show, “Human Hothouse”— hilarious and campy, it set the tone for what would be a wildly fun 40 minutes. In this imagined universe, Human Hothouse is an incredibly popular show that we are watching the “after show” to, serving as a live studio audience. The show’s complete with all the odious hangings of such television— live twitter feeds, self-centered celebrity interviews, and, my favorite, some absolutely amazing “reaction videos” sent by “fans”— one has a real, crying baby that is one of the best actors I’ve ever seen, it started crying so perfectly on cue with its outraged parents. It’s perfectly cast, with great comic performances from a crew of actors who handle the snappy, witty dialogue easily. Jay Lund is wonderfully humble/pompous as the writer/creator, while Emily and Katie are perfectly loathsome as the social media maven Bindi and self-obsessed starlette Cadence, and Jim plays a hilarious bumbling actor-type. The show is perfectly rounded out by the host Tia, who stands in for the audience in recognizing how completely horrendous these people are.
What I didn't like
Unfortunately, the theater had some kind of weird plumbing sound that was so regular and so prominent that I was utterly convinced it was a sound cue that was hinting at some kind of meta universe to the aftershow, like that it was taking place in an underground bunker and it was also the apocalypse… It wasn’t! You know… #99seattheaterproblems
My overall impression
Sheer comic genius— a perfect sendup of LA tropes expertly performed by a virtuosic cast. This is a darkly funny and refreshing show to liven up your fringe. Come see this totally unique show with its crisp, snappy banter and wonderful melange of low and high brow humor (okay, mostly low, but very clever!) If you’re annoyed by the Los Angeles celebrity culture and you need some relief and a laugh, this show is for you.
